4 leadership lessons from George WashingtonGeorge Washington led his troops to victory against the British redcoats in 1777 in part by adopting a more democratic approach to leadership, writes Signe Spencer. Rather than simply issuing commands and expecting obedience, Washington sought the advice of his subordinates and thereby hatched a battle plan that was more innovative and effective than anything a single general could have devised alone.Great Leadership
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Making the jump back to the corporate worldIt can be hard to make the transition from entrepreneur to employee, but it's doable if you focus on learning what you can and look for ways to contribute in your new role, writes Katie Douthwaite. "[I]f I make my employees and clients happy, I am making an impact on the company -- no matter how far I am from the title of CEO," she writes.TheDailyMuse.com
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Leaders should learn from Aristotle when it comes to planning a public speech or presentation, says John Baldoni. That means keeping things simple, and repeatedly signposting your key points. "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em, tell 'em, then tell 'em what you told 'em," Baldoni says.SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Leadership
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Ideas for Innovators

Are large tech companies in trouble?Some large tech companies are still stuck in the 20th century, which means they could be left in the dust as more agile competitors continue to innovate, according to serial entrepreneur Steve Blank. "CEOs who aren't making wrenching decisions about the organization of the company won't last more than five years on the job," he said. Innovation was a key topic in President Barack Obama's recent State of the Union address, but Blank said the government still isn't doing enough to foster new ideas.VentureBeat
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Fortune from Failure

Failure doesn't cause innovationFailure is a natural byproduct of innovation, but that doesn't mean that companies should set out to fail, writes venture capitalist Henry Doss. Cultural factors such as mutual trust and a commitment to diverse modes of thinking are the real catalysts for innovation, he writes.Forbes
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SmartQuote

It is not the frequency of failure that is important but rather the conditions that allow for innovation success."